EFFoST Annual Conference

Dear Colleague,

I hope you will be able to attend the 2012 EFFoST Annual Meeting in Montpellier during November 2012. The conference will focus on connecting the integrated (broad) and the specialized (focused) views on food to promote health, food security and sustainability for all.

A sustainable food system – to feed the world population in a wide range of living conditions – is a key objective of the Millennium Declaration, signed in 2000 by the 189 countries of the United Nations. New challenges must be integrated, in particular: food security; health issues related to food; sustainable development; evolution of consumption patterns mainly for the younger generations; and the situation of the world’s poorest.

The expectation that food scientists can help to reach these goals is very high in terms of evaluating and understanding risks and formulating solutions. Innovations are needed in the global food system, environmental impact (reduction of losses and waste, lower energy consumption), improved food functionality and reduction of additives.

These complex questions require researchers to tackle new paradigms, encompassing both the holistic approaches of food systems on one hand, and fragmented and specialized, but innovative, food science approaches on the other. These now benefit from advanced new techniques, new equipment and new scientific interfaces.

I hope you will join us to debate these new challenges and to present your work as a poster or oral presentation.

I look forward to welcoming you.

Nathalie Gontard - Conference Chair,
Prof. Université Montpellier II and Research Director at INRA